Catch and Release
by HeartbrokenSilhouette
Summary: It’s just another late night walk for Misty, until someone else shows up at her special spot. Who knew this place would hold a third surprise? Aaml oneshot of course!


Title: Catch and Release  
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.  
Rating: K+  
Genre: Romance  
Date of completion: 4:26 pm, August 3, 2007  
Summery: It's just another late night walk for Misty, until someone else shows up at her special spot. Who knew this place would hold a third surprise? Aaml oneshot!

Alone down a midnight path a somber redhead walked. No danger could threaten her for after all nothing hurts worse than heartbreak. She hadn't any idea why she was walking or where she was going since the stars and moon were away. A heavy blanket of fog surrounded her, and like her mind it gave room for uncertainty and fear. He'd called her today, just to say her was back around, but he hadn't mentioned much else. He must have changed, she reasoned, as she lightly stroked the sea shell in her pocket. He couldn't be the same boy she fell in love with long ago. He must have grown up, and he must have moved on.

A shuffling of branches made her grab for a pokeball.

"You're just being silly and paranoid." she nervously laughed letting go of her pokeball.

Why was she out here? Him. It was always his fault when she was lost or in trouble. All the adventures were fun, but he always managed to get them into some trouble, and tonight, as she wandered through those dense woods in a hazardous fog, it was his fault for being on her mind.

A trip down memory lane had never felt so painful. Who knew he could break her heart without being around?

A roaring water was heard nearby and gently she clamored over the wet rocks. She'd been here so many times these past few months that she could navigate by touch. She started coming here again once Togapie left. After all this was the spot that had changed her life, not once, but twice.

As she lowered herself into the cold, morning water she let a tear escape her. She'd promised herself that she'd stop crying, and she'd get over him, but it would have been easier to jump into magma and live. It's a sure death kind of thing.

Why was he so important? It was just an innocent crush at first, why did it have to evolve? Who finds humor in watching a torn girl being forced to deny herself love?

Skillfully she treaded through the water, and pulled herself onto the bank. A single strip of illuminating moonlight cast down on a granite boulder. She let out a disgruntled sob and lay on the stone. This is where she'd first met him fishing that afternoon. She was so lucky to have been there, and even luckier that he wrecked her bike. She knew from the instant they met, that she had to be with him. The bike provided that excuse until they became better friends and it all worked out...until now.

It was destiny's calling, they were meant to be. No one but her had expected a catch and release story. She'd just had a feeling that when they drifted she'd have to let him go. She cut the line and left the hook hoping it would keep him her's, but fate said otherwise. She'd heard he met a new girl. One that he was head over heels in love with. Who knows why the grapevine decides to say such cruel things, but juice is what they want and wine is even sweeter. That news was the most bitter wine (metaphorically speaking of course) she'd ever swallowed though and it still left a burning aftertaste.

Then he'd come back to Pallet for a month and spend time with her, and she had trusted not to be broken again, but then he'd leave. Him leaving wasn't supposed to hurt like this. She never got too open with her love for him, since she was afraid she'd scare him into not coming back. So time and time again her heart had broken until it was reduced to a fine granular powder that with a gust of wind could blow away.

He did blow it away too. One second her heart was back to being whole, and the second their lips had parted he had blown the broken heart away. That was what happened the last time she had seen him. On that very rock they'd shared their first kiss, but then he ran off and she'd wept with despair. They hadn't meant to kiss, but it happened. They were thrown together on that same rock, and instinct took over. Her better judgement failed, and until he phoned today, she was sure she'd scared him to where he never wanted to see her again.

She felt too miserable to tell anyone about that kiss and so she cried since it was the only way to release her pent up feelings.

She _didn't _want to see him now! He was so cruel! And oblivious...kinda cute, but _NO! _He wouldn't break her again. She had to break him this time! She picked up the clean, white shell from her pocket and clenched an angry fist around it. She would break him today, even if it was only the shell he gave her that was in pieces.

No, she couldn't do that. It meant too much to her. He'd picked it up on a beach when he was away and had given it to her so sweetly. He said that he thought of her when he saw it, because of the pale, cerulean blue that could only be seen in a special light. He said she was pretty when she was plain, but she was beautiful when something made her shine.

"Not today," she whispered mournfully pocketing the shell. "Maybe when I can really say I'm over him."

It was five am now, and she was tired. The fog had cleared a little, but still it hung in the air, no longer menacing, just a comforting blanket.

meanwhile

It was five am now, and he awoke to get an early start on training his pokemon. Thirty minutes and quite a few bad instructions later he found himself unable to concentrate and decided to take the day off. Around six he neared the waterfall, and was startled to see Misty stretched out on a rock fast asleep. It was like a prayer had been answered and quickly he rushed up to her.

"Myst!" he whispered excitedly. "Myst, wake up!"

"Hzmphl," she grumbled turning over in her sleep.

"Msyt! It's me! It's Ash!" he spoke ready to jump in the air in elation.

"Ash!" she shot up, her eyes bolting open with a wary joy.

He scooped her up in his arms before she could react, and with an "I missed you." he lost his footing and sent them both tumbling into the lake.

"You klutz!" she laughed as she surfaced splashing him with the chilly water.

He splashed right back, and she was glad to see some things would never change.

"I'm so happy to see you! I've missed you pretty bad." he grinned.

"Really?" she spoke bitterly hitting an icy note in her voice. "Seems like you couldn't wait to leave last time. You just ran on out after all."

"Myst," he pleaded. "I was scared. I thought you'd blame me, or hate me, or something."

"I blamed myself for you leaving for so long, the least you could have done was said something." she cried distressed.

"Misty, I'm still the same old me. I make mistakes, and then I run from them until I'm ready to face them." he insisted.

"So the kiss was all a mistake?" she snapped on the verge of tears. She would not let him see her cry over him.

"No Myst-" he started.

"Don't you call me that!" she screamed.

"Just listen to me for a minute!" he begged.

"60...59..58..."

He shot her a 'stop it' look, and started to speak.

"The mistake wasn't kissing you, my mistake was leaving you. I'm crazy about you Misty and it took me way to long to finally realize it. I'm so sorry." he apologized softly.

"I'm not sure what to believe anymore," she admitted. "But I'll give you one last chance. After all you can be clueless sometimes."

That was the best choice of her life. So what if she had to swallow her pride to forgive him, she did, and they were in a love that was made to last.

So there she was a few years later at that same granite boulder by the lake and the waterfall about to find the place would bring one more surprise.

"Misty." Ash smiled, "I know you're only 17, and I'm only 16, but I'm in love with you. Misty Waterflower would you marry me?"

"Yes!" she squealed leaping into his arms and once again he lost his footing.

Finnies

I love corny romance stories! They're my favorite! I hope you like it. I really did enjoy writing it. There's another story I'm working on, but it's more of a winter treat. Don't expect it for a while, I think I'm going to be going back to my Rai x Kim and Yumi x Ulrich oneshots for a while. (Those are always so fun to write!) Thanks for reading! Please review, and flames are welcome! Sorry if it's not perfectly up to date with the pokemon journey thing (I don't watch it anymore...stopped when Misty left you see?). One more thing, thanks in advance to all reviewers!

Much love,

Heart.


End file.
